Tokyopop has posted an interview with Anike Hage, a global manga artist from Germany and creator of Gothic Sports.

Source: Deutsche Mangaka

Kazuhiko Shimamoto, creator of The Skull Man, will be starting a new series called Aoi Honoo (Blue Flame) in issue 24 of Shogakukan's Young Sunday, on sale May 17th.

Also, a new series titled Kurohatsubutsukan Supuringarudo from Kazuhiro Fujita will begin serialization in issue 23 of Kodansha's Weekly Morning, on sale May 10th.

From Pink Raygun comes an interview with Camilla D'Errico, artist of Del Rey's Make 5 Wishes,a manga that features Avril Lavigne as one of its characters.

Via: When Fangirls Attack

According to its latest blog post, Icarus Publishing has licensed Yamatogawa's Aqua Bless.

Also mentioned is another manga titled Bikini no Reina Sensei by Chataro, the English title of which has yet to be determined.

Manga Jouhou translates a brief report from Mainichi Communications on Comitia 80, an original manga convention held in Tokyo Big Sight on May 5th:

Different from other doujinshi conventions like Comiket, the works allowed to be sold in Comitia are limited to original works which do not parody existing manga. Many professional mangaka not only participate in the event, but also have collaborative projects with publishers. As a result, Comitia has become an event with a large significance to the manga industry.

On the USA Today Booklist Top 150 for the week ending May 6th, Volume 14 of Viz's Naruto is the only manga on the list, ranking at #53.

The winners of the 11th Tezuka Osamu Cultural Award (sponsored by Asahi Shimbun) have been announced:

Grand Prize:

• Maihime Terpsichore by Ryoko Yamagishi

Shinsei (New Hope) Award:

• The Divine Comedy by Nobuhisa Nozoe (illustration); Kazuhiro Iwata (adaptation); Kyojin Onishi (story)

Short Manga Prize:

• Osaka Hamlet by Hiromi Morishita

Special Award:

• None

Source: Yomiuri Online

Winners of the 31st Kodansha Manga Award have been announced. Kodansha Manga Award is awarded annually to works published in the previous year by Kodansha. This year the winners are:

Children's manga category:

- Tenshi no Frypan (Angel's Frypan) (????????????????????????) by Etsuji Ogawa (?????? ??????) [ Comic BonBon ]

Shounen manga category:

- Sayonara Zetsubou Sensei (????????????????????????) by Koji Kumeta (????????? ??????) [ Weekly Shounen Magazine ]

- Dear Boys Act II (DEAR BOYS ACT ???) by Hiroki Yagami (?????? ?????????) [ Monthly Shonen Magazine ]

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Monthly comics top 10 in the U.S. according to PWCW.

1. Fruits Basket, Volume 16
2. Bleach, Volume 18
3. Naruto, Volume 13
4. Millenium Snow, Volume 1
5. Warriors: The Lost Warrior, Volume 1
6. Civil War: A Marvel Comics Event.
7. One Piece, Volume 14
8. Hana-Kimi, Volume 17
9. Full Metal Alchemists, Volume 12
10. The Road to Civil War.

Manga top 10 according to Tohan.

1. D.Gray-man, Volume 11
2. Gintama, Volume 18
3. Katekyo Hitman Reborn!, Volume 15
4. Initial D, Volume 35
5. Boku no Hatsukoi wo Kimi ni Sasagu, Volume 7
6. Steel Ball Run, Volume 12
7. Detroit Metal City, Volume 3
8. Rurouni Kenshin Complete Edition, Volume 21-22
9. Mx0, Volume 3
10. Majin Tantei Nougami Neuro, Volume 11